Sensor device, and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

A sensor device includes a mounting board having a first rigid board on which an angular velocity sensor is mounted and a third rigid board on which an angular velocity sensor is mounted, and a pedestal for fixing the mounting board. Further, the pedestal includes a base section having a first fixation surface along an x axis and a y axis, and projecting sections disposed on the base section, and having a second fixation surface along the x axis and a z axis, and a third fixation surface along the y axis and the z axis, each of the rigid boards is supported by at least two of the first fixation surface, the second fixation surface, and the third fixation surface, and the angular velocity sensors have respective detection axes intersecting with each other.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a sensor device and an electronicapparatus.

2. Related Art

There is known such a sensor unit as disclosed in, for example, U.S.Pat. No. 7,040,922 (Document 1). The sensor unit described in Document 1has a mounting member having a cuboid shape and three surfacesperpendicular to each other, and sensor devices mounted respectively onthe three surfaces.

In the case of mounting such sensor devices on a circuit board or thelike, it is difficult to mount the sensor devices directly on thecircuit board, and the sensor devices are generally mounted in acondition of being housed in a casing composed of a pedestal and a lidmember . However, if the sensor devices are housed in such a casing,there arises a problem of growth in size of the sensor devices. Further,if the sensor device is fixed obliquely to the casing, there also arisesa problem that the detection axis of the sensor device is tilted tothereby degrade the detection accuracy. Therefore, the sensor devicesdownsizing of which can be achieved, and positioning of which isperformed correctly have eagerly been desired.

SUMMARY

An advantage of the invention is to provide a sensor device and anelectronic apparatus with which positioning of an electronic componentcan be performed with ease and accuracy while achieving downsizing.

An aspect of the invention is directed to a sensor device including aplurality of mounting boards on which a sensor component is mounted, anda pedestal adapted to fix each of the mounting boards, wherein whenthree axes perpendicular to each other are defined as a first axis, asecond axis, and a third axis, respectively, the pedestal includes abase section having a first fixation surface along the first axis andthe second axis, and a projecting section disposed on the base section,and having a second fixation surface along the third axis and the firstaxis, and a third fixation surface along the second axis and the thirdaxis, each of the mounting boards is supported by at least two of thefirst fixation surface, the second fixation surface, and the thirdfixation surface, and the sensor components have respective detectionaxes intersecting with each other.

According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a sensordevice with which positioning of an electronic component can beperformed with ease and accuracy while achieving downsizing.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that at least one pair of the projecting sections areprovided, and at least one of the mounting boards is supported by thepair of the projecting sections so that the sensor component is locatedbetween the pair of the projecting sections.

According to this configuration, it is possible to stably fix at leastone mounting board to the pedestal while performing positioning.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the base section is provided with a recessed section onthe surface along the first axis and the second axis.

Thus, the downsizing can be achieved.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the first fixation surface is disposed on a periphery ofthe recessed section.

According to this configuration, the mounting board can stably be fixedto the first fixation surface.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the mounting board supported by the first fixationsurface is supported so that a surface on which the sensor component ismounted faces to the recessed section.

According to this configuration, the sensor component can be housed inthe recessed section to thereby achieve the downsizing of the device.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the recessed section is filled with an infill.

According to this configuration, unwanted breakage of the sensorcomponent can be prevented.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the projecting section is located above the firstfixation surface, and has a fourth fixation surface including the firstaxis and the second axis.

According to this configuration, since the two mounting boards can bedisposed while overlapping in the third-axis direction, the downsizingof the device can be achieved.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the plurality of mounting boards includes an analogcircuit board having an analog circuit, and a digital circuit boardhaving a digital circuit, and the analog circuit board is supported byone of the first fixation surface and the fourth fixation surface, andthe digital circuit board is supported by the other of the firstfixation surface and the fourth fixation surface.

According to this configuration, since the analog circuit and thedigital circuit can be disposed with relatively large distance,transmission of the noise can be suppressed.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the plurality of mounting boards are respectivelyconnected by bendable connection sections.

According to this configuration, fixation of the mounting board becomeseasier.

In the sensor device of the above aspect of the invention, it ispreferable that the plurality of sensor components includes at least oneof an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor.

According to this configuration, the sensor device capable of detectingthe angular velocity or the acceleration can be obtained.

Another aspect of the invention is directed to an electronic apparatusincluding the sensor device according to the above aspect of theinvention.

According to this configuration, the electronic apparatus with highreliability can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a sensor device accordingto a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are development diagrams of a mounting board provided tothe sensor device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of an angular velocity sensorprovided to the sensor device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pedestal provided to the sensor deviceshown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the pedestal shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the state of fixing the mountingboard on the pedestal shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of anelectronic apparatus equipped with the sensor device according to theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a sensor device and an electronic apparatus according tothe invention will be explained in detail based on an exemplaryembodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

1. Sensor Device

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing the sensor deviceaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIGS. 2A and 2Bare development diagrams of a mounting board provided to the sensordevice shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing anexample of an angular velocity sensor provided to the sensor deviceshown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pedestalprovided to the sensor device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, FIG. 5 is a planview of the pedestal shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a perspective viewshowing the state of fixing the mounting board to the pedestal shown inFIG. 4. It should be noted that the explanation will hereinafter bepresented defining the upper side of FIGS. 1A and 1B as the “upper side”and the lower side thereof as the “lower side” for the sake ofconvenience of explanation. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, threeaxes perpendicular to each other are defined as an x axis (a firstaxis), a y axis (a second axis), and a z axis (a third axis),respectively. The z axis is an axis parallel to the normal direction ofthe pedestal 3, the x axis is an axis parallel to the extendingdirection of a pair of sides of the pedestal opposed to each other, they axis is an axis parallel to the extending direction of the other pairof sides of the pedestal opposed to each other in a plan view of thepedestal. Further, the direction parallel to the x axis is defined as an“x-axis direction,” the direction parallel to the y axis is defined as a“y-axis direction,” and the direction parallel to the z axis is definedas a “z-axis direction.” Further, the plane including the x axis and they axis is defined as an “x-y plane, ” the plane including the y axis andthe z axis is defined as a “y-z plane,” and the plane including the zaxis and the x axis is defined as a “z-x plane.”

The sensor device 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is a three-axis gyro sensordevice provided with angular velocity sensors 711, 712, and 713, andcapable of detecting the angular velocities around the x axis, the yaxis, and the z-axis perpendicular to each other. Such a sensor device 1as described above is superior in convenience, and can preferably beused, for example, for motion trace, motion tracking, a motioncontroller, and pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR).

As shown in FIG. 1A and 1B, the sensor device 1 has a mounting board 1on which the electronic components 7 are mounted, a pedestal 3 forsupporting the mounting board 2, and a lid member 8 fixed to thepedestal 3 so as to cover the mounting board 2. It should be noted thatFIG. 1B is a diagram obtained by eliminating the lid member 8 from FIG.1A.

Hereinafter, each of these members will sequentially be explained.

Mounting Board 2

The mounting board 2 is a rigid-flexible board obtained by combiningrigid boards hard and difficult to be deformed, and flexible boardssoft, easy to be deformed, and provided with flexibility. As such amounting board 2 as described above, there can be used a rigid-flexibleboard known to the public, for example, those having hard layers such asglass epoxy boards bonded to the both sides of a flexible board, andusing these parts as the rigid boards.

FIG. 2A is a plan view of the mounting board 2 in the developed stateviewed from one surface side, and FIG. 2B is a plan view of the mountingboard 2 in the developed state viewed from the other surface side. Asshown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the mounting board 2 is composed of a firstrigid board (a mounting section) 21, a second rigid board (the mountingsection) 22, a third rigid board (the mounting section) 23, a fourthrigid board (the mounting section) 24, and a fifth rigid board (themounting section) 25 disposed away from each other, and a flexible board26 for connecting these rigid boards.

It should be noted that hereinafter the surfaces of the rigid boards 21through 25 shown in FIG. 2A are referred to as “obverse-side mountingsurfaces,” and the surfaces shown in FIG. 2B are referred to as“reverse-side mounting surfaces” for the sake of convenience ofexplanation.

The flexible board 26 has a first connection section 261 for connectingthe first rigid board 21 and the second rigid board 22, a secondconnection section 262 for connecting the first rigid board 21 and thethird rigid board 23, a third connection section 263 for connecting thefirst rigid board 21 and the fourth rigid board 24, and a fourthconnection section 264 for connecting the second rigid board 22 and thefifth rigid board 25. The first connection section 261, the secondconnection section 262, the third connection section 263, and the fourthconnection section 264 each have flexibility, and bending deformationtoward the surface direction can easily be performed.

Further, edge portions (both corner portions having a diagonalrelationship) of the first rigid board 21 are respectively provided withholes 21 a, 21 b, edge portions (both corner portions having a diagonalrelationship) of the second rigid board 22 are respectively providedwith holes 22 a, 22 b, one end portion of the third rigid board 23 isprovided with a hole 23 a, one end portion of the fourth rigid board 24is provided with a hole 24 a, and both end portions of the fifth rigidboard 25 are respectively provided with holes 25 a, 25 b. These holesare holes to be used for fixing the first through fifth rigid boards 21through 15 to the pedestal 3 with screws.

The mounting board 2 is capable of changing the posture of the rigidboards 21 through 25 by bending the connection sections 261 through 264of the flexible board 26. Specifically, by bending the connectionsections 261 through 264 so that the obverse side mounting surfaces 211through 251 of the respective rigid boards 21 through 25 face inward,the mounting board 2 can be deformed to have a cuboid shape in which therigid boards adjacent to each other are perpendicular to each other. Inthis state, the first rigid board 21 forms the lower surface, the secondrigid board 22 forms the upper surface, and the third, the fourth, andthe fifth rigid boards 23, 24, and 25 form the side surfaces. Themounting board 2 is fixed to the pedestal 3 in such a deformed state asdescribed above.

As described above, by constituting the mounting board 2 with therigid-flexible board, it is possible to easily deform the mounting board2, and therefore, it becomes easy to fix the mounting board 2 to thepedestal 3. Further, since the rigid boards 21 through 25 are connectedin a lump by the connection sections 261 through 264, also in thisregard, the fixation of the mounting board 2 to the pedestal 3 can beperformed easily and smoothly. Further, since a plurality of rigidboards is provided, freedom of installation of the electronic components7 increases.

Further, by mounting the electronic components 7 on the hard rigidboard, unwanted vibration of the electronic components 7 (in particularangular velocity sensors 711 through 713) can be suppressed, and thusthe detection accuracy of the sensor device 1 is improved. Further, theelectronic components 7 are easy to be mounted on the mounting board 2.Still further, the parallelism of the electronic components 7 can easilybe achieved, and in particular, the angular velocity sensors 711 through713 can easily be set to have desired postures, and the postures can bekept. Further, the electronic components 7 can also be mounted at highdensity.

Here, in the present embodiment, the first rigid board 21 has a firstcutout section 21 c, a second cutout section 21 d, and a third cutoutsection 21 e each opened in the edge (the outer periphery) thereof. Thefirst cutout section 21 c is formed to have a step with respect to theright side of the first rigid board 21 in FIG. 2A, and the firstconnection section 261 extends from the first cutout section 21 c.Further, the second cutout section 21 d is formed to have a step withrespect to the upper side of the first rigid board 21 in FIG. 2A, andthe second connection section 262 extends from the second cutout section21 d. Further, the third cutout section 21 e is formed to have a stepwith respect to the left side of the first rigid board 21 in FIG. 2A,and the third connection section 263 extends from the third cutoutsection 21 e.

By providing the first cutout section 21 c to the first rigid board 21,it is possible to easily make the first connection section 261 havebending deformation in the vicinity of (on the first rigid board 21 sideof) the connection portion with the first rigid board 21, and further,the curvature radius of the bending deformation can be kept relativelylarge. Further, the excessive projection of the first connection section261 is prevented to thereby achieve downsizing of the sensor device 1.Substantially the same advantage can be obtained with respect to thesecond cutout section 21 d and the third cutout section 21 e.

Further, in the present embodiment, the second rigid board 22 has afourth cutout section 22 c, and a fifth cutout section 22 d each openedin the edge (the outer periphery) thereof. The fourth cutout section 22c is formed to have a step with respect to the left side of the secondrigid board 22 in FIG. 2A, and the first connection section 261 extendsfrom the fourth cutout section 22 c. Similarly, the fifth cutout section22 d is formed to have a step with respect to the lower side of thesecond rigid board 22 in FIG. 2A, and the fourth connection section 264extends from the fifth cutout section 22 d.

By providing the fourth cutout section 22 c to the second rigid board22, it is possible to easily make the first connection section 261 havebending deformation in the vicinity of (on the second rigid board 22side of) the connection portion with the second rigid board 22, andfurther, the curvature radius of the bending deformation can be keptrelatively large. Further, the excessive projection of the bent portionfrom the outer periphery of the second rigid board 22 is prevented tothereby achieve downsizing of the sensor device 1. Substantially thesame advantage can be achieved with respect to the fifth cutout section22 d.

The mounting board 2 is hereinabove explained. It should be noted thateach of the rigid boards 21 through 25, and the flexible board 26 of themounting board 2 is provided with conductor patterns not shown, and aplurality of electronic components 7 is electrically connected in anappropriate manner via the conductor patterns.

Further, the mounting board 2 is provided with a ground layer not shown,and the ground layer exerts the function of blocking the externalmagnetic field. Therefore, in the condition of being fixed to thepedestal 3, it is possible to eliminate the influence of the externalmagnetic field (external noise) from the outside of the sensor device 1with respect to the electronic components (i.e., the electroniccomponents 7 mounted on the obverse side mounting surfaces 211 through251) located inside the mounting board 2.

Electronic Components 7

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, on the mounting board 2, there are mounteda plurality of electronic components 7.

On the mounting board 2, there are mounted three angular velocitysensors (sensor components) 711 through 713 of a uniaxial detectiontype, an acceleration sensor (a sensor component) 72 of a triaxialdetection type, a power supply circuit 73 for driving a variety ofelectronic components, an amplifier circuit 74 for amplifying the outputsignals from the sensor components 711 through 713, and 72, ananalog/digital converter circuit 75 for converting the analog signalsthus amplified by the amplifier circuit 74 into digital signals, amicrocontroller 76 for performing desired control, a nonvolatile memory77 such as an EEPROM, a direction sensor (a magnetic sensor) 78 fordetecting the direction, and a connector (an interface connector) 79 foroutputting signals as the electronic components 7. It should be notedthat the electronic components 7 to be mounted thereon are not limitedthereto, but it is possible to arbitrarily mount any componentscorresponding to the purpose.

Hereinafter, the arrangement of the electronic components 7 will bedescribed in detail.

First Rigid Board 21

On the obverse side mounting surface 211 of the first rigid board 21,there are mounted the power supply circuit 73, the amplifier circuit 74,and the analog/digital converter circuit 75, and on the reverse sidemounting surface 212, there are mounted the angular velocity sensor 713and the acceleration sensor 72.

The analog/digital converter circuit 75 is larger in size than the otherelectronic components 7 (the power supply circuit 73 and the amplifiercircuit 74) mounted on the obverse side mounting surface 211. Therefore,it is preferable to dispose the analog/digital converter circuit 75 atthe center portion of the obverse side mounting surface 231. Thus, it ispossible to effectively use the analog/digital converter circuit 75 as areinforcement member for reinforcing the rigidity of the first rigidboard 21. Therefore, the unwanted vibration due to the flexuraldeformation of the first rigid board 21 can be suppressed, the unwantedvibration can be prevented from being transmitted to the angularvelocity sensors 711 through 713, and therefore the accuracy of thedetection of the angular velocity by the angular velocity sensors 711through 713 (in particular the angular velocity sensor 713 mounted onthe first rigid board 21) is improved.

Further, the angular velocity sensor 713 and the acceleration sensor 72are preferably disposed in the vicinity of the corner of the obverseside mounting surface 211. As described later, the first rigid board 21is fixed to the pedestal 3 at the four corners via an adhesive.Therefore, it is hard for the corner sections of the first rigid board21 to be deformed, and therefore the unwanted vibration is difficult tooccur. Therefore, by disposing the angular velocity sensor 713 and theacceleration sensor 72 at such places, the angular velocity and theacceleration can more accurately be detected.

Further, by mounting the angular velocity sensor 713 and theacceleration sensor 72 on the reverse side mounting surface 212, it ispossible to elongate the distance from the microcontroller 76 in thecondition in which the mounting board 2 is fixed to the pedestal 3.Further, it is possible to make the ground layer of the first rigidboard 21 be located between the angular velocity sensor 713 and theacceleration sensor 72, and the microcontroller 76. Therefore, it ispossible to prevent the radiation noise generated from themicrocontroller 76 from exerting a harmful influence on the angularvelocity sensor 713 and the acceleration sensor 72 to thereby improvethe detection accuracy of the angular velocity sensor 713 and theacceleration sensor 72.

Second Rigid Board 22

On the obverse side mounting surface 221 of the second rigid board 22,there is mounted the microcontroller 76, and on the reverse sidemounting surface 222, there are mounted the nonvolatile memory 77 andthe direction sensor 78.

The microcontroller 76 is larger in size than the other electroniccomponents 7 (the nonvolatile memory 77 and the direction sensor 78)mounted on the second rigid board 22. Therefore, it is preferable todispose the microcontroller 76 at the center portion of the obverse sidemounting surface 221. Thus, it is possible to effectively use themicrocontroller 76 as a reinforcement member for reinforcing therigidity of the second rigid board 22. Therefore, the unwanted vibrationdue to the flexural deformation of the second rigid board 22 can besuppressed, and the unwanted vibration can be prevented from beingtransmitted to the angular velocity sensors 711 through 713, andtherefore the accuracy of the detection of the angular velocity by theangular velocity sensors 711 through 713 is improved.

Further, by mounting the direction sensor 78 on the mounting surfaceopposite to the surface on which the microcontroller 76 is mounted, theradiation noise generated from the microcontroller 76 can be blocked bythe ground layer of the second rigid board 22, and therefore, theradiation noise (the magnetic field) can effectively be prevented fromreaching the direction sensor 78 and exerting a harmful influence on thedirection sensor 78. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the directionsensor 78 can be improved.

Third Rigid Board 23

On the obverse side mounting surface 231 of the third rigid board 23,there is mounted the angular velocity sensor 711.

Fourth Rigid Board 24

On the obverse side mounting surface 241 of the fourth rigid board 24,there is mounted the angular velocity sensor 712.

Fifth Rigid Board 25

On the reverse side mounting surface 252 of the fifth rigid board 25,there is mounted the connector 79.

Hereinabove, the arrangement of the electronic components 7 is describedin detail.

In the mounting board 2, an analog circuit composed of the power supplycircuit 73, the amplifier circuit 74, the analog/digital convertercircuit 75, and so on is formed on the first rigid board 21, and adigital circuit composed of the microcontroller 76, the nonvolatilememory 77, and so on is formed on the second rigid board 22. Asdescribed above, by providing the first rigid board as an analog circuitboard and the second rigid board 22 as a digital circuit board tothereby form the analog circuit and the digital circuit on therespective rigid boards separated from each other, it becomes possibleto effectively suppress the generation and the transmission of thenoise, and thus the detection accuracy of the sensor device 1 is furtherimproved.

The angular velocity sensors 711 through 713 are not particularlylimited providing the angular velocity can be detected, and knownuniaxial detection type of angular velocity sensors can be usedtherefor. As such angular velocity sensors 711 through 713, a sensorhaving a vibrator element 5 shown in FIG. 3, for example, can be used.

The vibrator element 5 is made of a quartz crystal (a piezoelectricmaterial). Further, the vibrator element 5 has a base section 51, a pairof detecting vibrator arms 52, 53 extending in a vertical direction ofthe sheet of the drawing from both sides of the base section 51, a pairof connection arms 54, 55 extending in a lateral direction of the sheetfrom both sides of the base section 51, and pairs of driving vibratorarms 56, 57, 58, and 59 extending in the vertical direction of the sheetfrom both sides of the respective tip portions of the connection arms54, 55. Further, the surface of each of the detecting vibrator arms 52,53 is provided with a detecting electrode (not shown), and the surfaceof each of the driving vibrator arms 56, 57, 58, and 59 is provided witha driving electrode (not shown).

In such a vibrator element 5, in the condition in which the drivingvibrator arms 56, 58 and the driving vibrator arms 57, 59 are made tovibrate by applying a voltage to driving electrodes so as to repeat tocome closer to and get away from each other, when the angular velocity ωaround the normal line A (a detection axis A) of the vibrator element 5is applied, the Coriolis force is applied to the vibrator element 5, andthe vibration of the detecting vibrator arms 52, 53 is excited. Then, bydetecting the distortion in the detecting vibrator arms 52, 53, which iscaused by the vibration of the detecting vibrator arms 52, 53, by thedetecting electrodes, the angular velocity applied to the vibratorelement 5 can be obtained.

The angular velocity sensors 711 through 713 each having theconfiguration described above are mounted on the corresponding rigidboards so that the thickness direction of the rigid board corresponds tothe detection axis.

Pedestal 3

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the pedestal 3 has a plate like basesection 31, and a first support section 32, a second support section 33,a third support section 34, a fourth support section 35, and a fifthsupport section 36 provided to the base section 31. The pedestal 3 willhereinafter be explained based on FIGS. 4 through 6, and in FIG. 6, somemembers are omitted from the drawing for the sake of convenience ofexplanation.

Base Section

The base section 31 has the thickness direction aligned in the z-axisdirection, and has a lower surface and an upper surface 312 parallel tothe x-y plane defined by the x axis and the y axis. Further, the basesection 31 has a recessed section 313 opened in the upper surface 312.The recessed section 313 is opened in the center portion of the uppersurface 312 except the edge portion thereof, and is not opened in theside surface of the base section 31. In other words, the recessedsection 313 has a trough shape surrounded by sidewalls in the peripherythereof.

Such a recessed section 313 as described above functions as a housingsection for housing the angular velocity sensor 713 and the accelerationsensor 72 mounted on the reverse side mounting surface 212 of the firstrigid board 21 in the condition of fixing the mounting board 2 to thepedestal 3. In other words, the recessed section 313 forms a clearancefor preventing the angular velocity sensor 713 and the accelerationsensor 72 from having contact with the pedestal 3. By forming such arecessed section 313, the space of the pedestal 3 can be usedeffectively to thereby achieve downsizing (low-profiling, reduction inheight) of the sensor device 1.

First Support Section

As shown in FIG. 5, the first support section 32 has four fixationsurfaces 321, 322, 323, and 324 disposed in the periphery of therecessed section 313. The four fixation surfaces 321 through 324 aresurfaces for fixing the first rigid board 21 to the pedestal 3 whileperforming positioning of the first rigid board 21 with respect to thepedestal 3. Specifically, the fixation surfaces 321 through 324 have afunction of positioning the first rigid board 21 with respect to thepedestal 3 so that the detection axis of the angular velocity sensor 713becomes parallel to the z axis, and then fixing it.

The fixation surfaces (first fixation surfaces) 321 through 324 areformed in the periphery of the recessed section 313 so as to correspondto the four corners of the first rigid board 21. Such fixation surfaces321 through 324 are each constituted by the upper surface 312. Asdescribed above, by using the upper surface 312 as the fixation surfaces321 through 324, it is possible to form the first support section 32with ease and accuracy.

Since the fixation surfaces 321 through 324 are located on the sameplane parallel to the x-y plane, if the first rigid board 21 is mountedon the fixation surfaces 321 through 324 as shown in FIG. 6, thedetection axis Al of the angular velocity sensor 713 becomes parallel tothe z axis. As described above, only by mounting the first rigid board21 on the fixation surfaces 321 through 324, the positioning (the axisalignment of the detection axis Al) of the angular velocity sensor 713with respect to the pedestal 3 can be performed with ease and accuracy.

It should be noted that the method of fixing the first rigid board 21 tothe fixation surfaces 321 through 324 is not particularly limited, andin the present embodiment, both of fixation with an adhesive andfixation with screws are used together. Specifically, each of thefixation surfaces 321 through 324 and the first rigid board 21 arefirstly fixed to each other with an adhesive. Since the holes 21 a, 21 bprovided to the first rigid board 21 are located on the fixationsurfaces 321, 323 in this state, the first rigid board 21 is fixed tothe fixation surfaces 321, 323 (the base section 31) with screws via theholes 21 a, 21 b. Thus, the fixation of the first rigid board 21 to thefirst support section 32 can surely be performed. Further, since thelayer of the adhesive intervenes between the pedestal 3 and the firstrigid board 21, the adhesive absorbs and eases the vibration transmittedfrom the pedestal 3 to thereby suppress the unwanted vibration of thefirst rigid board 21. As a result, the detection accuracy of the sensordevice 1 is further improved.

It should be noted that the recessed section 313 is filled with aninfill not shown, and the gap between the pedestal 3 and the first rigidboard 21 is filled with the infill. Thus, the first rigid board 21 (theangular velocity sensor 713, the acceleration sensor 72) and theconnection sections 261, 262, and 263 extending from the first rigidboard 21 are fixed to thereby effectively prevent the unwanted vibrationfrom occurring in the first rigid board 21. Therefore, the detectionaccuracy of the sensor device 1 is improved.

As the constituent material of the infill, those having an insulatingproperty are preferable. The material is not particularly limited, andthere can be cited as the material, for example, polyolefin such aspolyethylene, or polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polyamide, polyimide, polycarbonate,poly-(4-methylpentene-1), ionomer, acrylic resin,polymethylmethacrylate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABSresin), acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer (AS resin), butadiene-styrenecopolymer, polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), orpolybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyether, polyetherketone (PEK),polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyetherimide, polyacetal (POM),polyphenylene oxide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylenesulfide, polyarylate, aromatic polyester (liquid crystal polymer),fluorinated resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene or polyvinylidenefluoride, epoxy resin, phenol resin, urea resin, melamine resin,silicone resin, polyurethane resin, and so on, copolymers, polymerblends, and polymer alloys having any one of these compounds as theprimary constituent, and these materials can be used alone or incombination.

Second Support Section

As shown in FIG. 5, the second support section 33 is a region for fixingthe third rigid board 23 to the pedestal 3 while performing positioningof the third rigid board 23 with respect to the pedestal 3.Specifically, the second support section 33 has a function ofpositioning the third rigid board 23 with respect to the pedestal 3 sothat the detection axis of the angular velocity sensor 712 becomesparallel to the x axis, and then fixing it.

Such a second support section 33 projects from the upper surface of thebase section 31, and has a pair of projecting sections 41, 42 disposedapart from each other in the y-axis direction, and a space 61 formed inbetween. The projecting sections 41, 42 are respectively provided withsurfaces (third fixation surfaces) 411, 421 disposed on the outerperiphery of the pedestal 3 and parallel to the y-z plane. Further,these surfaces 411, 421 are disposed coplanar with each other. Further,these surfaces 411, 421 function as fixation surfaces (hereinafterreferred to as a “fixation surface 411” and a “fixation surface 421,”respectively) for fixing the third rigid board 23.

Since the fixation surfaces 411, 421 are located on the same planeparallel to the y-z plane, if the third rigid board 23 is fixed to thefixation surfaces 411, 421 as shown in FIG. 6, the detection axis of theangular velocity sensor 711 becomes parallel to the x axis. In otherwords, only by fixing the third rigid board 23 to the fixation surfaces411, 421, the positioning (the axis alignment of the detection axis) ofthe angular velocity sensor 711 with respect to the pedestal 3 can beperformed with ease and accuracy.

The method of fixing the third rigid board 23 to the fixation surfaces411, 421 is not particularly limited, and in the present embodiment,both of fixation with an adhesive and fixation with a screw are usedtogether. Specifically, each of the fixation surfaces 411, 421 and thethird rigid board 23 are firstly fixed to each other with an adhesive.Since the hole 23 a provided to the third rigid board 23 is located onthe fixation surface 411 in this state, the third rigid board 23 isfixed to the projecting section 41 with a screw via the holes 23 a.Thus, the fixation of the third rigid board 23 to the second supportsection 33 can surely be performed. Further, since the layer of theadhesive intervenes between the pedestal 3 and the third rigid board 23,the adhesive absorbs and eases the vibration transmitted from thepedestal 3 to thereby suppress the unwanted vibration of the third rigidboard 23. As a result, the detection accuracy of the sensor device 1 isfurther improved.

In the state in which the third rigid board 23 is fixed to the fixationsurfaces 411, 421, the angular velocity sensor 711 is located in thespace 61 between the pair of projecting sections 41, 42. Therefore, itcan be said that the space 61 forms a clearance (hereinafter referred toas a “clearance 61”) for preventing the pedestal 3 and the angularvelocity sensor 711 from having contact with each other. By forming theclearance 61 described above, it is possible to prevent breakage of theangular velocity sensor 711, and at the same time achieve downsizing ofthe sensor device 1.

Further, the clearance 61 is communicated with the space in the recessedsection 313, and the recessed section 313 has an area 313 a projectingtoward the outside of the pedestal 3 from the fixation surfaces 411, 421in the x-y plan view. By adopting such a configuration, it is possibleto dispose the second connection section 262 for connecting the firstrigid board 21 and the third rigid board 23 inside the clearance 61 andthe area 313 a without making an excessive deformation. Therefore, thebreakage of the mounting board 2 due to the excessive deformation caneffectively be prevented, and thus the reliability of the sensor device1 is enhanced.

Further, in the state in which the third rigid board 23 is fixed to thefixation surfaces 411, 421, the angular velocity sensor 711 is locatedon the inner side of the third rigid board 23. Therefore, in the caseof, for example, manufacturing the sensor device 1, contact between theangular velocity sensor 711 and the operator, manufacturing equipment,or the like is prevented, and thus the breakage of the angular velocitysensor 711 can effectively be prevented. Further, as described above,since it is possible to block the external magnetic field using theground layer provided to the mounting board 2, the detection accuracy ofthe angular velocity sensor 711 is improved.

Third Support Section

The third support section 34 is a region for fixing the fourth rigidboard 24 to the pedestal 3 while performing positioning of the fourthrigid board 24 with respect to the pedestal 3. Specifically, the thirdsupport section 34 has a function of positioning the fourth rigid board24 with respect to the pedestal 3 so that the detection axis of theangular velocity sensor 712 becomes parallel to the y axis, and thenfixing it.

Such a third support section 34 projects from the upper surface of thebase section 31, and has a pair of projecting sections 42, 43 disposedapart from each other in the x-axis direction, and a space 62 formed inbetween. The projecting sections 42, 43 are respectively provided withsurfaces (second fixation surfaces) 422, 431 disposed on the outerperiphery of the pedestal 3 and parallel to the z-x plane. Further,these surfaces 422, 431 are disposed coplanar with each other. Further,these surfaces 422, 431 function as fixation surfaces (hereinafterreferred to as a “fixation surface 422” and a “fixation surface 431,”respectively) for fixing the fourth rigid board 24.

Since the fixation surfaces 422, 431 are located on the same planeparallel to the z-x plane, if the fourth rigid board 24 is fixed to thefixation surfaces 422, 431 as shown in FIG. 6, the detection axis of theangular velocity sensor 712 becomes parallel to the y axis. In otherwords, only by fixing the fourth rigid board 24 to the fixation surfaces422, 431, the positioning (the axis alignment of the detection axis) ofthe angular velocity sensor 712 with respect to the pedestal 3 can beperformed with ease and accuracy.

The method of fixing the fourth rigid board 24 to the fixation surfaces422, 431 is not particularly limited, and in the present embodiment,both of fixation with an adhesive and fixation with a screw are usedtogether. Specifically, each of the fixation surfaces 422, 431 and thefourth rigid board 24 are firstly fixed to each other with an adhesive.Since the hole 24 a provided to the fourth rigid board 24 is located onthe fixation surface 422 in this state, the fourth rigid board 24 isfixed to the projecting section 42 with a screw via the holes 24 a.Thus, the fixation of the fourth rigid board 24 to the third supportsection 34 can surely be performed. Further, since the layer of theadhesive intervenes between the pedestal 3 and the fourth rigid board24, the adhesive absorbs and eases the vibration transmitted from thepedestal 3 to thereby suppress the unwanted vibration of the fourthrigid board 24. As a result, the detection accuracy of the sensor device1 is further improved.

In the state in which the fourth rigid board 24 is fixed to the fixationsurfaces 422, 431, the angular velocity sensor 712 is located in thespace 62 between the pair of projecting sections 42, 43. Therefore, itcan be said that the space 62 forms a clearance (hereinafter referred toas a “clearance 62”) for preventing the pedestal 3 and the angularvelocity sensor 712 from having contact with each other. By forming theclearance 62 described above, it is possible to prevent breakage of theangular velocity sensor 712, and at the same time achieve downsizing ofthe sensor device 1.

Further, the clearance 62 is communicated with the space in the recessedsection 313, and the recessed section 313 has an area 313 b projectingtoward the outside of the pedestal 3 from the fixation surfaces 422, 431in the x-y plan view. By adopting such a configuration, it is possibleto dispose the third connection section 263 for connecting the firstrigid board 21 and the fourth rigid board 24 inside the clearance 62 andthe area 313 b without making an excessive deformation. Therefore, thebreakage of the mounting board 2 due to the excessive deformation caneffectively be prevented, and thus the reliability of the sensor device1 is enhanced.

Further, in the state in which the fourth rigid board 24 is fixed to thefixation surfaces 422, 431, the angular velocity sensor 712 is locatedon the inner side of the fourth rigid board 24. Therefore, in the caseof, for example, manufacturing the sensor device 1, contact between theangular velocity sensor 712 and the operator, manufacturing equipment,or the like is prevented, and thus the breakage of the angular velocitysensor 712 can effectively be prevented. Further, as described above,since it is possible to block the external magnetic field using theground layer provided to the mounting board 2, the detection accuracy ofthe angular velocity sensor 712 is improved.

Fourth Support Section

The fourth support section 35 is a region for fixing the second rigidboard 22 to the pedestal 3 so as to be opposed to the first rigid board21 in the z-axis direction. By fixing the second rigid board 22 so as tooverlap the first rigid board 21, downsizing (in particular, downsizingin the x-y plan view) of the sensor device 1 can be achieved.

It should be noted that since no such a physical quantity sensor as theangular velocity sensors 711 through 713 or the acceleration sensor 72is mounted on the second rigid board 22, such accuracy of positioning asrequired to the first through third support sections 32 through 34described above is not required to the fourth support section 35. Itshould be noted that from the viewpoint of downsizing (low-profiling,reduction in height) of the sensor device 1, it is preferable that thefourth support section 35 is configured so as to support and fix thesecond rigid board 22 in parallel to the first rigid board 21.

Such a fourth support section 35 as described above has four projectingsections 41, 42, 43, and 44 projecting from the upper surface of thebase section 31. The projecting sections 41 through 44 are located so asto correspond to the four corners of the second rigid board 22. Theupper surfaces 413, 423, 433, and 443 of the four projecting sections41, 42, 43, and 44 are surfaces (fourth fixation surfaces) parallel tothe x-y plane, and are disposed on the same plane. Further, these fourupper surfaces 413 through 443 function as fixation surfaces(hereinafter referred to as a “fixation surface 413,” a “fixationsurface 423,” a “fixation surface 433,” and a “fixation surface 443,”respectively) for fixing the second rigid board 22.

Since the fixation surfaces 413 through 443 are located on the sameplane parallel to the x-y plane, if the second rigid board 22 is fixedto the fixation surfaces 413 through 443 as shown in FIG. 1B, the secondrigid board 22 becomes opposed to the first rigid board 21 in the z-axisdirection, and at the same time becomes parallel to the x-y plane. Thus,the downsizing of the sensor device 1 can be achieved.

The method of fixing the second rigid board 22 to the fixation surfaces413 through 443 is not particularly limited, and in the presentembodiment, both of fixation with an adhesive and fixation with screwsare used together. Specifically, each of the fixation surfaces 413through 443 and the second rigid board 22 are firstly fixed to eachother with an adhesive. Since the holes 22 a, 22 b provided to thesecond rigid board 22 are located on the fixation surfaces 413, 433 inthis state, the second rigid board 22 is fixed to the projectingsections 41, 43 with screws via the holes 22 a, 22 b, respectively.Thus, the fixation of the second rigid board 22 to the fourth supportsection 35 can surely be performed.

Fifth Support Section

The fifth support section 36 is a region for fixing the fifth rigidboard 25. It should be noted that no such a physical quantity sensor asthe angular velocity sensors 711 through 713 or the acceleration sensor72 is mounted on the fifth rigid board 25. Therefore, similarly to thefourth support section 35 described above, such accuracy of positioningas required to the first through third support sections 32 through 34described above is not required to the fifth support section 36. Itshould be noted that from the viewpoint of downsizing of the sensordevice 1, it is preferable that the fifth support section 36 isconfigured so as to support the fifth rigid board 25 in parallel to they-z plane.

Such a fifth support section 36 as described above has a projectingsection 45 projecting from the upper surface of the base section 31. Theprojecting section 45 is disposed so as to be opposed to the secondsupport section 33 via the recessed section 313, and extends in they-axis direction. The projecting section 45 described above is providedwith a surface 451 disposed on the outer periphery of the pedestal 3,and parallel to the y-z plane, and the surface 451 functions as afixation surface (hereinafter referred to as a “fixation surface 451”)for fixing the fifth rigid board 25. As shown in FIG. 6, when fixing thefifth rigid board 25 to such a fixation surface 451 as described above,the fifth rigid board 25 becomes parallel to the y-z plane. Thus, thedownsizing of the sensor device 1 can be achieved.

The method of fixing the fifth rigid board 25 to the fixation surface451 is not particularly limited, and in the present embodiment, both offixation with an adhesive and fixation with screws are used together.Specifically, the fixation surface 451 and the fifth rigid board 25 arefirstly fixed to each other with an adhesive. Since the holes 25 a, 25 bprovided to the fifth rigid board 25 are located on the fixation surface451 in this state, the fifth rigid board 25 is fixed to the projectingsection 45 with screws via the holes 25 a, 25 b. Thus, the fixation ofthe fifth rigid board 25 to the fifth support section 36 can surely beperformed.

Hereinabove, the first through fifth support sections 32 through 36 areexplained.

The pedestal 3 further has projecting sections 46, 47 projecting fromtwo corner sections of the base section 31 having a diagonalrelationship. The projecting section 46 is larger in lateralcross-sectional area than the projecting section 41, and is formedintegrally with the projecting section 41. Thus, the mechanical strengthof the projecting section 41 is enhanced. On the other hand, theprojecting section 47 is larger in lateral cross-sectional area than theprojecting section 43, and is formed integrally with the projectingsection 43. Thus, the mechanical strength of the projecting section 43is enhanced. Further, the projecting section 47 is formed integrallyalso with the projecting sections 44, 45, and thus the mechanicalstrength of each of the projecting sections 44, 45 is enhanced. Asdescribed above, by providing the projecting sections 46, 47, themechanical strength of each of the projecting sections 41 through 45provided to the first through fifth support sections 32 through 36 canbe enhanced to thereby surely fix the mounting board 2 with a desiredposture.

Although the constituent material of such a pedestal 3 is notparticularly limited, a material with a damping property is preferablyused. Thus, the unwanted vibration of the mounting board 2 can besuppressed to thereby improve the detection accuracy of the sensordevice 1. The material described above is not particularly limited, andthere can be cited various types of damping alloys such as a magnesiumalloy, an iron alloy, a copper alloy, a manganese alloy, and a Ni-Tialloy.

According to such a pedestal 3 as described above, only by fixing themounting board 2 to the predetermined position, the detection axes ofthe angular velocity sensors 711, 712, and 713 can be set to be parallelto the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis, respectively. Therefore, thesensor device 1 capable of exerting excellent detection accuracy caneasily be obtained.

Further, when mounting the sensor device 1 on the circuit board (atarget object) such as a motherboard, by using the two side surfaces 3a, 3 b of the pedestal 3 perpendicular to each other as the reference,it is possible to easily point the detection axes of the angularvelocity sensors 711, 712 to the desired directions. Specifically, theside surface 3 a is a surface parallel to the detection axis of theangular velocity sensor 712, and the side surface 3 b is a surfaceparallel to the detection axis of the angular velocity sensor 711.Therefore, by performing the positioning with respect to the circuitboard using the side surfaces 3 a, 3 b as the reference, it is possibleto point the detection axes of the angular velocity sensors 711, 712 tothe desired directions with ease and accuracy.

Lid Member

The lid member 8 is fixed to the pedestal 3 so as to cover the mountingboard 2. Thus, the electronic components 7 can be protected. Further,the side surface of the lid member 8 is provided with an opening, and inthe state in which the lid member 8 is fixed to the pedestal 3, theconnector 79 is exposed to the outside through the opening. Thus, theelectrical connection between the external equipment and the connector79 can easily be achieved. The method of fixing the pedestal 3 and thelid member 8 to each other is not particularly limited, and fitting,screwing, and bonding with an adhesive can be used.

The constituent material of such a lid member is not particularlylimited, and there can be cited as the material, for example, polyolefinsuch as polyethylene, or polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer,polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyamide, polyimide, polycarbonate,poly-(4-methylpentene-1), ionomer, acrylic resin,polymethylmethacrylate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABSresin), acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer (AS resin), butadiene-styrenecopolymer, polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), orpolybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyether, polyetherketone (PEK),polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyetherimide, polyacetal (POM),polyphenylene oxide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylenesulfide, polyarylate, aromatic polyester (liquid crystal polymer),fluorinated resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene or polyvinylidenefluoride, epoxy resin, phenol resin, urea resin, melamine resin,silicone resin, polyurethane resin, and so on, copolymers, polymerblends, and polymer alloys having any one of these compounds as theprimary constituent, and these materials can be used alone or incombination.

2. Electronic Apparatus

The sensor device 1 described above can be incorporated in a variety ofelectronic apparatuses. The electronic apparatus according to anembodiment of the invention equipped with the sensor device 1 willhereinafter be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of aconfiguration of an electronic apparatus 500 equipped with the sensordevice 1. The electronic apparatus 500 is not particularly limited,there can be cited as the electronic apparatus, for example, a digitalcamera, a video camera, a car navigation system, a cellular phone, amobile PC, a robot, a gaming machine, and a gaming controller.

The electronic apparatus 500 shown in FIG. 7 has a sensor module 510including the sensor device 1, a processing section 520, a memory 530,an operating section 540, and a display section 550. These constituentsare connected to each other via a bus 560. The processing section (e.g.,a CPU and MPU) 520 performs the control of the sensor module 510 and soon and the overall control of the electronic apparatus 500. Further, theprocessing section 520 performs the process based on the angularvelocity information detected by the sensor module 510. For example, theprocessing section 520 performs the process for blurring correction,posture control, and GPS autonomous navigation based on the angularvelocity information. The memory 530 stores the control program and avariety of data, and further, functions as a working area and a datastorage area. The operating section 540 is for the user to operate theelectronic apparatus 500. The display section 550 is for displaying avariety of information to the user.

Although the sensor device and the electronic apparatus according to theinvention are hereinabove described based on the embodiments shown inthe accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto,but the configuration of each of the constituents can be replaced withone having an arbitrary configuration with an equivalent function.

Further, although in the embodiment described above there is explainedthe configuration of mounting the three angular velocity sensors on themounting board, the number of angular velocity sensors is not limitedthereto, and can be one or two. Further, the number of rigid boards canalso be changed in accordance with the number of angular velocitysensors.

Further, although in the embodiment described above the mounting boardis formed of the rigid-flexible board, the configuration of the mountingboard is not limited thereto, and it is also possible to configure themounting board with a plurality of rigid boards not connected to eachother. In this case, it is possible to electrically connect the rigidboards to each other using connectors and so on after fixing the rigidboards to the pedestal.

The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-152731,filed Jul. 11, 2011 is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

1. A sensor device comprising: a plurality of mounting boards on which asensor component is mounted; and a pedestal adapted to fix each of themounting boards, wherein when three axes perpendicular to each other aredefined as a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis, respectively,the pedestal includes a base section having a first fixation surfacealong the first axis and the second axis, and a projecting sectiondisposed on the base section, and having a second fixation surface alongthe third axis and the first axis, and a third fixation surface alongthe second axis and the third axis, each of the mounting boards issupported by at least two of the first fixation surface, the secondfixation surface, and the third fixation surface, and the sensorcomponents have respective detection axes intersecting with each other.2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one pair ofthe projecting sections are provided, and at least one of the mountingboards is supported by the pair of the projecting sections so that thesensor component is located between the pair of the projecting sections.3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the base section isprovided with a recessed section on the surface along the first axis andthe second axis.
 4. The sensor device according to claim 3, wherein thefirst fixation surface is disposed on a periphery of the recessedsection.
 5. The sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the mountingboard supported by the first fixation surface is supported so that asurface on which the sensor component is mounted faces to the recessedsection.
 6. The sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the recessedsection is filled with an infill.
 7. The sensor device according toclaim 1, wherein the projecting section is located above the firstfixation surface, and has a fourth fixation surface including the firstaxis and the second axis.
 8. The sensor device according to claim 7,wherein the plurality of mounting boards includes an analog circuitboard having an analog circuit, and a digital circuit board having adigital circuit, and the analog circuit board is supported by one of thefirst fixation surface and the fourth fixation surface, and the digitalcircuit board is supported by the other of the first fixation surfaceand the fourth fixation surface.
 9. The sensor device according to claim1, wherein the plurality of mounting boards are respectively connectedby bendable connection sections.
 10. The sensor device according toclaim 1, wherein the sensor components include at least one of anangular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor.
 11. An electronicapparatus comprising: the sensor device according to claim 1.